San Diego Padres starting pitcher Nick Pivetta had the best season of his career in 2025, but an ugly start to spring training has raised some questions about his reliability going forward. While it's dangerous to put too much stock into spring performances due to matchup and sample size factors, fantasy managers are starting to notice that Pivetta has surrendered seven runs, 11 hits, and five walks over eight innings (three starts) this spring. He has allowed two home runs along the way, and he has a modest six strikeouts to his name. Extrapolated over a regular season, these numbers would represent major regression from his 2025 stat line, which included a 3.49 FIP, 9.41 K/9, 2.48 BB/9, and 1.09 HR/9. We'd expect his 2026 stats to look more like the 2025 season than 2026 spring training, but managers should still temper expectations slightly, especially since the idea of Pivetta regressing was mentioned quite often throughout the offseason. As it stands, the veteran ranks #24 among starters in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings for 2026.

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Boston Red Sox starting pitcher Sonny Gray will open the 2026 season as the No. 2 option in the rotation, manager Alex Cora told Christopher Smith of MassLive.com. While it initially seemed like Boston would roll out Garrett Crochet and Ranger Suarez as its first two starters, Cora is inserting Gray between them to open the year with a staggered pattern of lefty, righty, lefty. While this decision is driven by handedness, that's not to say that Gray isn't deserving of a spot in the front half of the rotation. He posted an impressive 3.07 xFIP with 10.01 K/9 and 1.89 BB/9 in the Cardinals' rotation last year, and he now joins a revamped pitching staff in Boston. Cora's announcement puts Gray in line to make his Red Sox regular-season debut on Saturday, March 28, against one of his former teams, the Cincinnati Reds.

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Minnesota Twins outfielder Austin Martin (concussion) "went through a workout and actually did some baseball activities" on Thursday, manager Derek Shelton told Matthew Leach of MLB.com. Martin suffered a concussion during the Twins' spring training game on Monday, so it's encouraging that he was able to resume some activities within just a few days. Presumably, this recovery timeline at least leaves the door open for Martin to play on Opening Day. The 26-year-old former top prospect is looking to build on a strong 2025 stat line that saw him slash .282/.374/.365 with 11 stolen bases, a 12.2% walk rate, a 17.1% strikeout rate, and 113 wRC+ across 50 games in the majors. This year, he projects to platoon with left-handed-hitting outfielder Trevor Larnach in left field.

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New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (back) is feeling "better" after exiting Thursday's spring training contest with back tightness, manager Carlos Mendoza told Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Alvarez is expected to return to the lineup on Saturday if he's still feeling good at that point. All in all, it appears the Mets avoided any serious injury news with their primary backstop. He dealt with four different injuries in 2025 alone, so New York's brass and fanbase will be glad to hear that this latest ailment isn't too concerning. Having Alvarez available is key for the Mets, both at the plate and in the field. He slashed .256/.339/.447 with 11 home runs and 124 wRC+ last year, and he has 9.0 career FRV despite finishing with -6.0 last year. He currently ranks as the #12 catcher in RotoBaller's latest fantasy baseball rankings for 2026.

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Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Brady Singer (finger) exited early during Wednesday's Cactus League outing versus the Colorado Rockies. Singer threw 3 2/3 scoreless innings with three strikeouts before a blister forced him to exit the game. Afterwards, Singer said that he didn't want to make the issue worse, so he left out of precaution. He continued by saying, the blister is almost gone, and he'll be ready for his next start. The 29-year-old sounds confident that this blister won't force him to miss any action. His first start of the regular season won't come until March 29, so he should be ready by then. Last season, Singer posted a 4.03 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and 163:60 K/BB ratio across 32 starts. He's pitching his home games in hitter-friendly Cincinnati, which won't help his fantasy value. Singer is more of a deep league option to start the season.

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Minnesota Twins outfielder Trevor Larnach (side) is back in the starting lineup for Friday's Spring Training contest against the Toronto Blue Jays. Larnach has been sidelined since being scratched on Sunday due to left side soreness. Barring any setbacks, Larnach should be ready to go for Opening Day. He should be a lock to make the roster after slashing .250/323/.404 with 17 home runs and 60 RBI across 142 games last season. He could help fantasy managers in deep leagues, but isn't someone that needs to be rostered in most formats right away.

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Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Taylor Walls (oblique) will open the 2026 season on the Injured List. According to Marc Topkin, Walls is going to miss a minimum of 3-4 weeks due to this oblique issue. This would give Walls a timetable to return around late April or early May. His absence should mean that Carson Williams gets a chance to cement himself as the everyday shortstop. The 22-year-old got a taste of the MLB last season, playing 32 games with the Rays. He struggled with a .172/.219/.354 slash line, but the Rays are hopeful that the top prospect has made the correct adjustments. Walls could overtake the shortstop job once healthy due to his elite defensive skills, but his struggles at the plate make him difficult to roster in basically any fantasy format.

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Seattle Mariners outfielder Rob Refsnyder (elbow) was forced to make an early exit from Thursday's Cactus League matchup against the Athletics. Refsnyder was forced to exit in the sixth inning after getting hit by a pitch on the left elbow. The organization hasn't given an update on his status, so fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day for now. The 34-year-old signed a one-year, $6.25 million deal with the Mariners over the offseason. He crushes left-handed pitching, so the expectation is that he'll be a platoon bat in the outfield and at designated hitter. His struggles against right-handed pitching make him difficult to trust as a long-term option and more of a streaming choice.

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Athletics outfielder Tyler Soderstrom (knee) was forced to make an early exit from Thursday's Spring Training contest against the Seattle Mariners. Soderstrom was pulled out of the game as a precaution after getting hit by a pitch in the knee. According to Martin Gallegos, Soderstrom is going to be fine going forward, so fantasy managers don't have anything to worry about. It's possible that the A's hold him out for a few days, but this shouldn't be a long-term issue. The 24-year-old looks to continue his success in 2026 after posting a strong season at the plate in 2025. Soderstrom slashed .276/.346/.474 with 25 home runs and 93 RBI across 145 games. He's currently sitting around 83.7 ADP, which seems fair given his success last year and his overall upside.

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Chicago Cubs catching prospect Moises Ballesteros was expected to have a role on the team's Opening Day roster, but could have even a larger role in the early part of the campaign following Seiya Suzuki's knee injury. While his timeline has yet to be revealed, Ballesteros could quickly claim the everyday DH spot and face even less competition for at-bats. The young backstop looked quite comfortable in his MLB debut last summer, posting a 298/.394/.474 slash line with two doubles and two home runs. Earlier in the campaign, the No. 1-ranked prospect in the system posted a stellar .316/.385/.473 line with 13 long balls over a 114-game stint. Managers should also closely monitor Ballesteros' usage behind the dish, as he could see his fantasy value soar if he were to gain catcher eligibility in standard leagues. For now, he projects to remain a primary DH for the early part of the season and has high-end streaming value in 12+ team formats.

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New York Yankees top outfield prospect Spencer Jones looked quite comfortable in spring training, but was unable to crack the Opening Day roster due to the depth the Yankees have at the outfield position. Following the re-signing of Cody Bellinger, Jones was poised to begin the 2026 regular season back in the minor leagues once again. In camp, Jones held a .333/.429/.917 slash line with four long balls over just 11 games. However, he was optioned to Triple-A earlier this week but will likely be the first named called as an injury replacement. In 2025, Jones continued to show elite raw power in the minor leagues, launching 19 home runs over a short 67-game stint with Triple-A. However, he carried a hefty 36.6% K%. If Jones can lower his strikeout rate, he should be in the mix to debut in the first half. Given his elite power upside, he is a viable stash option in deeper 15-team leagues ahead of the start of the regular season.

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Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop prospect Demetrio Crisantes will begin the 2026 regular season at the Double-A level. Crisantes spent his entire 2025 campaign at High-A but showed enough development to move up to the next level in the Arizona system. Last summer, Crisantes appeared in only 34 High-A games while dealing with a shoulder injury, but he was productive during this stint. The infielder would hold a .252/.358/.415 slash line with eight doubles, four home runs, and six stolen bases. In 2024, he would spend most of his campaign at Low-A Visalia and carried an elite .907 OPS over a 63-game stint. While the former seventh-round pick is unlikely to make his MLB debut this summer, he remains on track for a 2027 promotion and is a name to continue to monitor in dynasty formats.

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Boston Red Sox left-handed pitching prospect Payton Tolle is unlikely to break camp with the MLB roster and is emerging as a top early-season stash candidate. Throughout spring training, the 6-foot-6 southpaw has looked quite comfortable, logging 10 2/3 innings to the tune of a 2.53 ERA with a 0.84 WHIP. During this stint, he has totaled 13 punchouts while allowing just one free pass. Last summer, Tolle made his MLB debut but stumbled in his first taste of action, carrying a high 6.06 ERA with a 1.59 WHIP over 16 1/3 innings. However, he did manage to strike out 19 hitters, showcasing his raw upside. With Johan Oviedo slated to take the final spot in the starting rotation, Tolle will likely begin the regular season at Triple-A but could be called to make a start in Boston early in the first half. Given his strikeout potential, he is worth stashing in 12+ team leagues ahead of Opening Day.

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St. Louis Cardinals outfield prospect Nathan Church is in strong consideration to break camp with the MLB roster, according to Bill Ladson of MLB.com. Church has put together an impressive showing in spring training and could find a lead role on a rebuilding club in 2026. Through 14 games, Church has held a .313/.436/.469 line with a .905 OPS, one home run, and two stolen bases. The 25-year-old made his MLB debut last summer and posted a modest .279/.254/.250 line with one stolen base and one round-tripper. He spent most of the 2025 campaign with Triple-A Memphis, where he carried a dominant .335/.400/.521 line. Given that Lars Nootbaar (heel) is unavailable to open the campaign, Church could slot in as the everyday left fielder to begin the season.

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Colorado Rockies first base prospect Cole Carrigg was optioned to minor league camp on Thursday evening. The team's No. 6-ranked prospect on MLB.com was in the mix to break camp with the MLB roster but will instead begin the campaign in the minor leagues. Carrigg joined the Rockeis with the 65th overall selection in the 2023 MLB Draft. The 23-year-old spent his entire 2025 campaign wth Double-A but could be in the mix to make his Triple-A debut in the coming weeks. Across 123 games with Double-A Hartford, Carrigg held a .237/.316/.394 line with a .710 OPS. During this stint, the first baseman would hit 15 home runs, swipe 46 bags, and hold a 145:45 K:BB. Managers should monitor his status as he could contend for a second-half MLB debut.

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Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson, who finished second in the American League Rookie of the Year voting in 2025, is having a forgettable spring training, hitting .229 (8-for-35) with a home run, five RBI, three runs scored, and one stolen base in 39 plate appearances over 14 Cactus League games going into Thursday's action. Fantasy managers shouldn't be too concerned with the results. The 23-year-old former sixth overall pick in 2023 out of Grand Canyon University had an excellent first full year in the big leagues in 2025, slashing .311/.355/.444 with an .800 OPS, 13 home runs, 63 RBI, 62 runs scored, and five stolen bases in 523 plate appearances over 125 games played. Wilson doesn't have a ton of power, but he does make elite contact and is one of the hardest hitters to strike out -- he fanned just 39 times in 486 at-bats last year. A fractured forearm didn't help Wilson finish strong last year, but there's still a lot to like with him as a No. 2 fantasy shortstop for his high average and counting stats in one of the most hitter-friendly ballparks in the league in Sacramento. RotoBaller has Wilson ranked as the No. 18 SS.

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Boston Red Sox shortstop Trevory Story was held out of a third straight Grapefruit League game over the weekend, with the Red Sox "monitoring Story's workload" in an effort to keep him fresh going into the start of the 2026 regular season next week, a club source told Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com. Story has played in 11 Grapefruit League games this year and has hit a strong .424 (14-for-33) with no homers, four doubles, three triples, two RBI, six runs scored, and a stolen base in 34 plate appearances. The 33-year-old two-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger winner had two injury-plagued seasons for Boston in 2023 and 2024 before rebounding to hit .263/.308/.433 with a .741 OPS, 25 home runs, 96 RBI, a career-high 31 stolen bases, and 91 runs scored in 157 regular-season games in 2025. Boston is planning to give Story a "little more rest in 2026," which has started this spring. Story showed he can still deliver power/speed numbers for fantasy managers last year, but his lengthy injury history and advanced age make him a pretty big injury risk and more of a low-end starting shortstop option in fantasy leagues.

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New York Mets third baseman Bo Bichette hit his first home run of spring training on Tuesday in the Grapefruit League game against the Miami Marlins, going 2-for-3 with a walk, a double, and five RBI. The 28-year-old two-time All-Star is starting to get a little more comfortable at the plate and at defense at the hot corner for the Mets with a week to go until Opening Day. Bichette came into Thursday's spring action hitting .267 (8-for-30) with a homer, eight RBI, four runs scored, four walks, and five strikeouts in 12 games played. He bounced back from an injury-plagued 2024 campaign to slash .311/.357/.483 with an .840 OPS, 18 home runs, 94 RBI, 78 runs scored, and four steals in 139 regular-season games in 2025 in his final year in Toronto. Bichette should give fantasy managers a high floor with his strong contact skills, midrange power, and reliable counting stats in another strong lineup in Queens. He'll also provide shortstop eligibility to begin the year for fantasy managers. Bichette doesn't have the elite power/speed profile of the high-end fantasy shortstops, which is why he's more of a midrange fantasy target at shortstop/third base.

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Los Angeles Angels manager Kurt Suzuki said that left-hander Yusei Kikuchi will start the second game of the season in Houston against the Astros on Friday, March 27, even though he only threw 64 pitches in his Cactus League outing on Thursday night against the Kansas City Royals, according to Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register. Kikuchi told Suzuki that he'll be a full-go next week. The 34-year-old southpaw allowed three runs on seven hits while striking out five and walking none in four innings across two outings for Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic this spring. Kikuchi was an All-Star for the second time in his career in 2025 in his first year in Anaheim, going 7-11 with a 3.99 ERA (4.23 FIP) and 1.42 WHIP with 174 strikeouts and 74 walks in 178 1/3 innings over 33 starts. He allowed a league-high 180 hits. Although he's not much more than a No. 5 starting pitcher for depth in deeper fantasy leagues, Kikuchi has been durable, making at least 32 starts in each of the last three years.

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New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (back) was pulled early from Thursday night's Grapefruit League game against the Houston Astros with back tightness, manager Carlos Mendoza told Will Sammon of The Athletic. The skipper called it a precautionary move to pull Alvarez from the game, and the catcher said he would have continued playing if it was the regular season. The oft-injured 24-year-old is not scheduled to play on Friday. Alvarez struck out in his only plate appearance of the game before being replaced. At the moment, it doesn't look like anything that will keep him from playing on Opening Day next week, but it's something to keep an eye on. He came into Thursday's game with a strong .381 average (8-for-21) with a homer and four RBI in nine Grapefruit League games. Alvarez has breakout potential because of his above-average power from the right side for a catcher, but he's also a pretty big risk because of his lengthy injury history. The Venezuelan catcher had 25 homers in 2023 but has 22 in the last two seasons combined, and only played in 76 games in 2025 due to injuries.

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